We are ceaselessly engaged in cycles of returning. We attend to breathing and then we get drawn into stories. We dwell in those stories for a while until something prompts us to the fact that we are not being present. In that moment, we have the opportunity to come back. The breath is there waiting. The body is there waiting. This moment is always here … waiting. This is our process of becoming–moving away and coming back, disengaging and reengaging, forgetting and remembering.

The present moment waits without judgment. It does not recriminate; it does not reproach. Perhaps we can do the same when our minds wander. Perhaps we can pick up with this very moment instead of forestalling it by “could haves” and “should haves.”

I’ve been away from posting for quite a while. I succumbed to the flu, which gave me plenty of practice observing sensations in the body, particularly the heavy, warm sensations of fever.

Just as we return to the breath, I invite you to return here to see what will be happening next.

Arnie Kozak

Recognized as an innovator in the field of mindfulness-based psychology, Dr. Arnie Kozak is northern New England's leading expert in the field. Dr. Kozak's ability to translate ancient healing traditions into pragmatic applications suitable for modern lifestyles through the use of metaphors have made him a strong voice in healthcare and business.

Beginning with a journey to India in the 80â€™s where he took the Bodhisattva vows from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Arnie Dr. Kozak began his lifelong practice in mindfulness meditation. Intent on finding a way to bring the practical healing attributes of mindfulness he began incorporating these techniques in his private practice. In 2002 Dr. Kozak created Exquisite Mind in Burlington, Vermont as a vehicle that could expand his wisdom to larger audiences beyond individual psychotherapy to professionals and corporations, health care providers, public groups and, most recently with Exquisite Mind Golf, amateur and professional golfers. His award-winning new book, Wild Chickens and Petty Tyrants: 108 Metaphors for Mindfulness (Wisdom Publications, 2009) is a thoughtful, funny, and inspiring translation of mindfulness practice through the inventive use of metaphor applicable to our daily lives.

In addition to his work with Exquisite Mind, Arnie Kozak, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologistâ€”Doctorate has been a Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Vermont and is a Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry and Medicine, University of Vermont College of Medicine. He has studied and practiced clinical psychology, meditation, and yoga for more than 25 years. He has studied with several meditation masters, including S. N. Goenka, Larry Rosenberg, Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. After receiving his bachelors degree with honors from Tufts University, he was awarded a Presidential Fellowship to get his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University at Buffalo. He completed his training as a Psychological Fellow at the Harvard Medical School. Prior to founding the Exquisite Mind in 2002, Arnie worked ten years in the private sector for the PKC Corporation consulting on mental health content for this revolutionary software company.